What We Believe About Worship
The New Testament reveals the one, true God existing eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all of which participate in creation and salvation. Therefore, all three persons of the Trinity are worthy of our worship. The Gospel focuses on Jesus Christ, who as the one and only Son of God, is both the supreme revelation of God and the only means of reconciliation back to God (John 1:1-18; 14:6-11; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5). Therefore, Christian worship centers on the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we direct our praise toward Jesus Christ and God the Father by the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:5-11; 3:3; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Revelation 4, 5).
Worship is the only appropriate response to God's revelation in Jesus Christ. Hence, worship simply defined is our response to God's revelation. Every Christian is called to offer their lives as worship and may worship in various personal ways and times (Romans 12:1). But the Lord calls us to assemble together for intentional worship as well, and He promises us His special presence among us on these occasions (Matthew 18:20; Hebrews 10:25). Corporate worship is when we, as God's people, gather together to enter into God's presence, receive revelation of His glory, and respond accordingly.
We believe that worship is the highest priority of the church (Exodus 7:16; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 1:11-12). Along with prayer, worship is the empowering, renewing, and guiding dimension of all other ministry (Isaiah 6; Revelation 5:8). This principle is expressed by John Piper:
"Missions exist because worship doesn't. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever." 1
Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It's the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God's glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of peoples in the greatness of God (Psalm 67:3-4; 97:1).
That worship is the Father's priority is made clear in Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman. Here, Jesus describes genuine worship as "worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24). Piper offers the following helpful illustration of worshiping in spirit and truth.
"The fuel for worship is a true vision of the greatness of God; the fire that makes the fuel burn white hot is the quickening of the Holy Spirit; the furnace made alive and warm by the flame of truth is our renewed spirit; and the resulting heat of our affections is powerful worship, pushing its way out in confessions, longings, acclamations, tears, songs, shouts, bowed heads, lifted hands and obedient lives." 2
Therefore, we embrace the following truths and corresponding values:
1. Truth: All worship begins with God and is in response to a truthful vision of His glory.
- Value: We will seek creative expressions of biblical truth, including the creative arts in addition to the constant of biblical, Spirit-anointed, God-centered preaching.
- Value: We will seek to creatively honor the biblical truth that God is both the holy, sovereign King over the universe, and He's the one who draws near to us intimately as we draw near to Him.
- Value: We will seek creative ways to communicate the panoramic story of salvation, including the creeds which have defined God's people through history.
2. Truth: Authentic worship engages the whole person: mind, heart & body.
- Value: In addition to filling our minds with biblical truth, we will seek to provide a variety of opportunities for us to express our hearts affections to the Lord.
- Value: Worship is participatory, therefore, we will seek to creatively engage all the senses.
3. Truth: Worship is meeting with the Triune God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), who has revealed Himself historically uniquely and supremely in Jesus Christ, and now meets with His people by the Holy Spirit.
- Value: We will seek to come into the Lord's Presence in humble authenticity and appropriate vulnerability through means such as corporate and private confession, stories of the Lord's grace and power in our lives, etc.
- Value: Expecting that the Lord is ready to minister to us, we will seek to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, providing opportunities for ministry by appropriately gifted people.
- Value: We will seek to provide ways for people to have opportunity to linger in the Lord's Presence as in times of silence, intercessory prayer, praise, etc.
4. Truth: Worship is a community event involving the whole community of FPC.
- Value: Focusing on our unity in Christ, we will seek the good of one another by asking, "How can I help my brothers and sisters worship?"
- Value: We will also recognize and value the diversity of people and gifts at FPC by seeking to provide opportunity for their diverse expression. We will ask, "How can we find a way to worship together while recognizing each other's values and gifts?"
- Value: Worship for community should be crafted in community. Therefore, we will seek to develop practical ways to include the diversity of gifts and artistic expressions in the planning of our worship services.
5. Worship is not only for the edification of believers, but it's also for the lost who need to enter into a personal relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ.
- Value: We will embrace the creativity of the Holy Spirit in expressing the unchanging, historic Gospel in fresh ways that communicate in a form, style and language relevant to our culture. We will cherish both the richness of our historic tradition and the freshness of creative expression.
footnotes:
- John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions (Baker Books, 1993), p.11
- Piper, Desiring God (Multnomah Books, 1996) p.77
Drafted by the Worship Study Group; Adopted by the Session April 2003. Members of the Worship Study Group: Doug Brown, Bob Sheriff, Jack Skinner, Gail Holmes, Becca Adamson, Babette Boardman, Gary Casseday, Cary Dunlap, Karen Hanford, Mary Haight, Stacy Heikes, Marty Jacob, Hilary Lawrence, Sally Otto, Zack Quinby, and Ward Scharmer.
